The Wilmingtonian., 1887-01-15
SATURDAY, JANUARY I5, 1887.
Russia and the East.

1
cordant notes Of continental war and still
again Asiatic war on the old trysting ground
of Pendjeh and Saraks, are heard.
The 250, 900, 900 of Hindostan are to cele-
brate the flftieth anniversary of the Queens
coronation as sovereign of England, though |
hardly.her tenth as Kaiser Hind. Austria |
liza will celebrate and SO will Canada and |
New Zealand.
1t is highly probable that simultaneous
with this earth-girt celebration, if not pre-
ceeding tive shall hear Of the druh-beat on
the Balkan Hills, of Austria's whte.tunic'd d
soldiers massing along the Dobrudscha, and
Of the grim pickel-haube showing its metal
spike along the Meuse and Scheldt, unless
Boulanger has taken time by the forelock
md thrown his impatient French leves, with
hearts burning for reranchs, across the river
at Saarbruck.
Through Asia MiLor by Erzeroum,
sinope, Batoum, and heroic old Kars tine
willy Russian has covered half the journey
towards land attack upon Constantinorle.
Alexander does intend second time to be
checkmated by a fleet of English ironclads
anchored in the Bosphorus.
The next so-Turkish battle will be
fought not in Europe but on the classic
plains bordering the southern banks of the
Euxine, ,Constantnople If captured atall by a
Russian armament must be approached by
that route. The Bulgars are uniriendly tt
the march Of Russian army through thei
territory. The.,nere objection Of the Bul
Rsrians of itself would cause no halt to
Muse lvite advance. Bat, if not diplomati
Alexander is quiescent By taking the Ell
zeroum route the Russians avoid complica
tions with a people whom they would prefe
to placate at the present moment and say
themselves the peril Of hazardous passag
Of the Bosphorous in the face Of Britis
feet.
Uuuer any cnvums6auuus 7ua rauu liIu.
face Russia upon the plains OF Asia Mino
1t is true that now as England has secure
paramount power over the Suez Canal 81
has no absolute need for keeping Constant
nope out Of the hands Of the Russians. y,
its retention by Turkey positively neutr
power is matter of traditionary policy
England or rather of traditionary pride.
It was equally to that end as well as f
the protection Of Port Said, the port of entl
of the Suez Canal that Beaconsfed t
years ago secured the tenancy Of the lar
island Of Cyprus from the Sultan. Its il
portance as a stcdteSic p'int is ohviou
Almost a radial centre between Cunstau
nople aud Port ) I'D, it is'also the half-wa
house between Ml'ta aua Alexandra, a
form; a st lntlltnk il the political chain
Gibraltar, Malta Cyprus, Alexandria, ALI
and HindostAn.
When RuSsia.gaius COnstantiuuplr, as
doubt she nlti nately will, it may be ST
that complete dom nance of the Medteci
mean will BE- Gy no means attained. 7
Mu cJvite will obviously hold the Bls
Sea when she haSdOmiciled herself in q,
stsutuople But then for the last twei
years the ancient Euxine has been naul
but marc cttusda, Russian lake
large amount Of English commerce I
always has preponderated there can never
oblitersted, for the simple reason that it
theaonly outlet for Russian commerce
Muscovitc makes more by it than the Z
lishman, Did he place an embargo al
English Black Sea traffic his mme
would receive too severe blow to toleE
for Russia sake its maintenance. Alre
England carries the greater part, in fac
most all, Of the grain leaving Russian Bl
Sea ports Tie Mu>cpvite would he sin
cutting his own throat did lie follow
policy. From Iudia, tie United States
Egypt all, and mach more o. the grain
Liverpool needs, may be obtained
Russia would lose her best paying mai
Almost fifty per cent Of her agricultural
come derived from these products is car
and distributed in English bottoms
the Baltic and Black Sea ports.